Miss. governor withdraws Board of Health nomination

Questions over requirements lead to withdrawal

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant says he's withdrawing his nomination of anti-abortion activist Terri Herring to the state Board of Health.

Bryant's decision came Monday after The Associated Press questioned whether Bryant was fulfilling requirements of a state law that specifies the board's 11 members must come from certain parts of the state.

Bryant spokesman Mick Bullock says the law is unclear, but the governor is withdrawing Herring's nomination to "avoid any legal uncertainty."

Eight Board of Health members must come from congressional districts - two from each of the four districts. Three must come from state Supreme Court districts - one each from northern, central and southern.

There are already enough board members from central Mississippi, where Herring lives. But the board would be one member short from the north.

A Mexican photojournalist who left the state he worked in because of threats was among five people found shot to death in a Mexico City apartment this weekend, officials and press freedom advocacy groups said.